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Friday, April 27, 2012

Super Search; Fast and Furious News

Update: The information below has now disappeared from the website.

You pick:

1) We are paying some big bucks for Communications that makes huge errors in what they write to the point where they say something that is not true.

2) Someone who put this information up originally had to back off because of how incredibly suspicious it looks to say the Committee made a recommendation when they didn't (and it wasn't even part of their charge.

Community Focus Group to recommend next Superintendent from three finalists. Board will make final decision in early to mid-May; media interviews online. A 25-person Community Focus Group has met with each of the three candidates for Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools and will make a recommendation to the School Board.

What? Folks, we have been told all along the Committee would NOT give a recommendation.

In fact, the non-disclosure form that tells the members they cannot discuss the questions or answers also told them that they will not be making a recommendation.

I feel certain that given that form, that no vote was taken by committee members.

So what to make of this odd statement that they WOULD be making a recommendation to the Board?

Could it be poor wording on the part of SPS Communications? How could they get it THAT wrong? (I'm trying to reach someone in Communications but nothing yet.)

And who directed this to be put up on the website? The Board office doesn't know.

It almost sounds like someone trying to shore up one particular candidate.

I understand that the Alliance, LEV, etc is pushing hard for their pick..

I urge you to write the Board with yours (schoolboard@seattleschools.org)

It must be easy to make decisions as The Alliance.Just go for the choice that will go against the best interests of the largest number of people.( as opposed to the interests of those with the largest check books)

Ugh. I'm in my first year as an SPS parent. I'm following this process closely and emailed the board with my support for Enoch or Banda.

I am wondering if anyone will fill me in on the ed reform cast list and how they interconnect, so I can feel less confused when I see names (Varner, Broad, Crosscut, the LEV, the alliance, GATES etc.) mentioned here. That may be a tall order (bring me up to speed on all of these players)-- feel free to direct me somewhere to learn for myself. Sorry if I'm seeming ignorant here.--tc

I read the link in the blog post and didn't see what was reported: that the Community Focus Group will be making a recommendation.I did see a mention of it in the District News of April 19 where the three finalists were announced.

Yup, the original text you quote is still up at http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=266982, which purports to have been the April 19th news release (did no one notice for eight days, or did it change?)

The Seattle School Board on Thursday, April 19, announced three finalists for Superintendent: José L. Banda, Steven W. Enoch and Sandra L. Husk.

The finalists were selected as part of a national search to find the next leader for Seattle Public Schools. The hiring committee selected the three finalists using desired characteristics and traits defined by the community, including: a visionary, inspirational leader; an instructional leader who has a proven track record; a knowledgeable manager and an effective communicator. The full list of traits is outlined online at http://bit.ly/SuperintendentSearchSite.

The finalists will be in Seattle during the week of April 23 to meet with the School Board and the 25-member Community Focus Group, as well as tour several Seattle schools.

“We are moving forward these strong candidates for the next phase of interviews,” said School Board President Michael DeBell. “We are looking forward to getting to know the candidates better, and finding a leader who is the best fit for our school district.”

A 12-person Search Committee helped narrow the pool of 42 applicants to a group of semi-finalists, who were interviewed by the committee last week. Members of the committee included the Board Directors, and one representative from each of the following: the Seattle Council PTSA, the District’s central administration, the Seattle Education Association (SEA), the Principals’ Association of Seattle Schools (PASS) and Local 609 (the International Union of Operating Engineers).

A 25-person Community Focus Group will meet with each candidate next week and make a recommendation to the School Board. The media will also have an opportunity to interview each of the candidates. The School Board makes the final determination, and expects to offer the position to the top candidate in May.

Mr. Banda will be in Seattle on April 23-24, Mr. Enoch on April 24-25 and Dr. Husk on April 25-26.

The public can offer feedback to the School Board at schoolboard@seattleschools.org.

What happened to Husk's other job offer? Didn't she say she was only said "yes" once to the hiring consulting company?

By the way, does anyone believe the process has been transparent? Was the board allowed to see all 42applicants? If not, couldn't the board have signed a non-disclosure document to see all applicants? Is someone hiding a transparent process under the veil of "privacy"? Come on, the board could handle 42 applications.

School Board to select next Superintendent by early to mid-May; media interviews of three finalists now online The School Board expects to offer the position of Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools to one of three finalists in early to mid-May. The three were in Seattle this week meeting with the Board and Community Focus Group, and touring several schools. They also met with members of the media. You can watch their press conference with the media online at the following links: Jose Banda, Steven Enoch and Sandra Husk.

WTF! Does Debell figure that by leaving the better candidates twisting in the wind, they'll drop out?! (remember how adamant he was about not letting that happen again! At least while he thought he could control the process)

Thank you so much for this non-stop flow of information. Along with the cast of characters, some of your newer readers might find an acronym glossary helpful. I know you're busy, maybe if you started a thread we could all build one together.

Parents at John Rogers recently received the April 19th press release via kidmail (stating that the 25-person Community Focus Group will meet with each candidate and make a recommendation to the School Board). -Rogers Mom

REally disgusted: I don't know if it is so much CYA as it is a push (I suspect) to finally agree on someone and come out with a degree of cohesion behind that candidate -- to give them the benefit of not starting with an obviously divided board. When you think of the manipulating DeBell has done to try to make the new Board members believe that any vocal point of view constitutes dissidence, I would imagine that he is busy trying to get them to sign in blood to support whoever wins, even if it is 4-3 decision and there are strong opposing views. Frankly, it IS important for the Board to help the new Supe get going, from a stable platform -- but what DeBell and Martin Morris WON'T want to hear is that maybe what that means is they need to pick someone around whom a consensus of Board Directors can build -- not just whoever A4E, LEV, STAND, the UW DoE, etc. want. I suspect that DeBell and Martin Morris think that all the "compromising" should be done by others, not by them and their crowd. That is certainly what the money folks think. This, I think, is where we will find out whether Directors Peaslee, Patu, McLaren and (I hope) Smith-Blum can draw a line and hold their ground. You may be able to outvote them, but no consensus position can go forward without them. Will they stand firm for a consensus they can genuinely support?

Sorry, compromise is only possible in an atmosphere of good will. That is not in Chris Korsmo's or Lisa MacFarlane's vocab. As far as Burgess and Miller are concerned, we should be kissing their &*$%@# for allowing us to give them $200M to &^$%#@ our childrens' schools.

Why does the Board need to look united? If they can't make it work, then I prefer to let the split votes stand. Then at least I know who stands for what. Frankly, it is quite "transparent" how opaque this whole process has been.

I'm also sick of education administrators' duties being referred to as "this work" (as if we're talking about a Rothko). Enfield uses that one any chance she can, and Martin-Morris seems to get an endorphine whenever he can say that someone is...

"Phase III consists of the Board’s second interview and a facilitated discussion with a community focus group. To collect further feedback from the community about the finalists, an approximately 25 member focus group will be given the opportunity to participate in a facilitated discussion with each finalist candidate. The search firm consultants will report the feedback from the discussion to the Board. Applications to be a member of the focus group were accepted until March 8, 2012, and the members were selected by the Executive Committee on March 14, 2012"

or:“When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a [school district] on a swamp, but I built it all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up. And that's what you're going to get, lad, the strongest [district] in all of [Washington]."

Education Acroynms

Advanced Learning - SPS' three-tier program for advanced learners. Made up of APP, Spectrum and ALOs. (Note: the name of the district program is "Advanced Learning Services and Programs" but these three programs fall under "Highly Capable Services" of AL Services and Programs.

ALO - Advanced Learning Opportunity, the third tier of SPS' Advanced Learning program

AP - Advanced Placement. A national program of college-level classes given in high schools.

APP - Accelerated Progress Program. One of the levels of the Advanced Learning Program. NOTE: the name of this program is now "HIGHLY CAPABLE COHORT." This change occurred in 2014.

ASB - Associated Student Body. High school leadership groups.

AYP - Adequate Yearly Progress. Part of NCLB.

BEX - Building Excellence. SPS' capital renovation/rebuilding program that is funded via the BEX levy. Every 3 years there is the Operations levy and either the BEX or BTA levies as those two levies rotate in six year cycles).

BLT - Building Leadership Team. Staff members at a school who meet regularly to discuss building issues.

BTA - Buildings, Technology, Academics. The major maintenance/other capital fund for SPS. Originally BTA was to cover major maintenance like HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), roofs, waterlines, etc.) but now covers wide swaths of items like athletic fields, technology and funding academic needs.

CAICEE - Community Advisory Committee for Investing in Educational Excellence. Created by former Superintendent Manhas in 2008, to issue a report about reform recommendations for SPS.

CSIP - Continuous School Improvement Plan, the plan for improvement for each school as required by state law.

EOC - End of Course Assessments, given in math and science, required for high school graduationESEA - Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the federal law that governs education, includes the NCLB accountability provisions.

e-STEM or e-STEAM - STEM or STEAM curriculum with an environmental focus.

FACMAC - Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee. A district committee comprises of an all-volunteer citizen group created in 2012 to help bring research and ideas to capacity management issues in the district.

FERPA - Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. A federal law that protects students' privacy

FRL - Free and reduced lunch.

FTE - Full Time Equivalent

FY - Fiscal Year

Highly Capable Services - NEW name (as of 2014) as umbrella name for these programs: Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), Spectrum and ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities).

HSPE - High School Proficiency Exam, state assessment that replaced the WASL for 10th graders, required for graduation

HQT - Highly Qualified Teacher, a standard set by federal law

IA - Instructional Assistant

IB - International Baccalaureate program. An international program of advanced classes that can either be taken as stand alone or as part of an overall IB program.

IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that governs special education

MAP - Measures of Academic Progress. A computer-based adaptive assessment made by NWEA and originally purchased by the district for use as a district-wide formative assessment but now used for a wide variety of purposes.

MSP - Measurement of Student Progress, the state proficiency assessment that replaced the WASL for students in grades 1-8

MTSS - Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

NCLB - No Child Left Behind, a provision of the federal education law, ESEA, introduced during the George W. Bush administration